FIABCI GREPA GHANA ENVIRONMENTAL PRESENTATION

Ghana’s Environment
Rediscovering the Link between
Success & Respecting the Natural World

FIABCI-USA San Francisco 2013
Presented By
Vicky Sampah- MBA, MSRE, GRI, ABR,
e-PRO
Founder - Ghana Real Estate Professionals
Association – GREPA
CEO - ABRI Properties Ghana

Societies can become more
environmentally sustainable
through economic development
dedicated to improving the
quality of life for everyone
without degrading the earth’s
life-support systems.

By Vicky Sampah, MBA, MSRE, ABR, GRI, e-PRO
Ghana Real Estate Professionals Association - GREPA

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Ghana in Africa
• Ghana is located on the Gulf of
Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean in
the Africa Frontier of SubSaharan Africa.
• A Western African country
bordered on the East by the
Republic of Togo, the West by
Cote d’Ivoire, the North by
Burkina Faso and the South by
the Gulf of Guinea.
• The Country lies between
longitudes 3° 15’ W and 1° 12’ E,
and latitude 4° 44’and 11° 15’ N.
• A total land area of Ghana is
238,533 km2
• A coastline of 550km2

3

General weather conditions

• Tropical humid climatic
conditions with two major
seasons
• Minimum temperature ranges
from 21°C - 23°C and
maximum temperature is from
30°C - 35°C


4

Resources
• Ghana has rich and diverse
natural resources
•
•
•
•
•
•

Gold
Cocoa
Manganese
Bauxite
Diamond
Oil

Ghana Cocoa
Chocolate


5

The Gold Coast
• Called the GOLD COAST
• The first country in subsaharan Africa to gain
independence – 1957
• The discovery of oil – the
Jubilee field. Systematic and
sustained efforts leads to the
discovery of oil in 2007
• Valve opened to commence
production from the Jubilee
Oil Field in December 2010
• New found oil in Ghana is
going to be a Bonanza’ Chris
Jackson, World Bank

• Population is growing and
expectation of the
international community
will also grow
• Strong Economic growth –
13.5% IMF , 2011 reflecting
the start of the oil and an
indication of a robust
performance of the non oil
sector
• Ghana is no more a low
income country. Ghana has
moved into a middle income
country


6

Jubilee Field

Oil Fields in Ghana

Late President of Ghana,
commissioning the field
to start operations


7

Reserves and Parks
• Ghana is rich in biodiversity.
•

wide variety of birds, reptiles and
animals with unique habitats, and
a wide range of plants and flowers

• Rare plants, flowers and
animal species
•

Kakum

the leopard and golden cat are
rare carnivores; the rufus fishing
owl and white-breasted guinea
fowl are endangered birds while
the giant butterfly Papilio
maesseni are found only in the
Likpe area of Volta Region.

• Major tourist attractions
includes the Kakum, Bia, and
Mole national parks; the Paga
Crocodile Pond; beautiful
beaches, forts, and castles;
and many other important
national heritage sites.

Mole


8

Population increase
• Ghana had a population of about 12.4 million in
1984. This figure increased to 18.8 million in 2000,
24 million in 2010 and 25.37 million in 2012
recorded by the world bank and reflecting an
intercensai growth rate of 2.6 percent
• It is suspected to have increased to 27 million.


9

Factors contributing to increase
• Life expectancy at birth has improved from 45 years in 1984
to 55 years in 2000
• About 37.4 percent of the population live in urban areas as
against 32 percent in 1984.
• The country has attained middle income status in 2011
• Robust economic growth of 8 percent, strong democratic
institutions, and favourable prospects for oil and gas, Ghana
is attracting significant foreign direct investment increasing
population
• Poverty has decreased
• Improved school enrolment
• Discovery of wealth has increase foreign investments and
human capital.

10

Outlook on Returns
African equity market returns have outperformed those of other
emerging market regions between October 2012 and October
2013, boosting the investment allure of the continent.
African equity markets outperformed the likes of Latin
America (4.2%), emerging Europe (5.7%) and emerging Asia
Pacific
(9.3%).
These impressive returns were led by Ghana (115%),
Kenya (58.2%), Cote d’Ivoire (46.5%), Nigeria (38.7%),
Uganda (31.7%) and Zambia (30.8%), while the world global
average was at 19.4%.


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IMF Concerns

‘Continued success will depend on strong
political will to decisively confront Ghana’s
short-term vulnerabilities’ the IMF said in
its regular review of the West African
nation’s economy.


12

The State of the Environment
• Similar to developed countries, emissions from
point sources such as vehicles and industries tend
to create atmospheric pollutants within their
immediate environments.
• Urbanization coupled with Industrialization is
causing a depletion of forest in the country
• Biodiversity is gradually being depleted due to a
variety of factors. Prominent among them are
poaching, habitat loss and deforestation
• Mining activities have also destroyed
• There is fear that the rate of deforestation will
offset net CO2 removal as forests, which serve as
sink for excess CO2, are being depleted.

13

• It is estimated that over 90 percent of Ghana’s high forest
have been logged since the late 1940s
• The current deforestation rate is about 22,000 hectares (ha)
per annum. Ghana, therefore, may face future export deficits
and there is the likelihood that the country’s forestry sector
will die out.
• Ghana is not under water stress, however, there is a serious
problem of uneven distribution of water, leading to perennial
water shortages in many parts of the country, especially
during the dry season. Inadequate industrial and domestic
wastewater management has resulted in the pollution of
most surface water resources in the country. Prominent
among these are the rivers that flow through urban areas.


14

• Agricultural land availability has reduced from 1.56ha in
1970 to 1.11ha in 1984 to 0.74ha in 2000. This shows that
there has been pressure on the country’s land resources over
the past three decades. The pressure on land available in
urban areas is largely due to rural-urban migration.
• The coastal zone of the country is under intense pressure
due to high concentration of human activities within the
zone. The major industries in the country are located within
the zone. Marine fishing serves as a source of livelihood for
the majority of the people living along the coast which makes
erosion eminent.
• Most Foreign Investors prefer the coastal major towns
namely; Accra, Tema and Takoradi with sea and air ports.
• Illiteracy coupled with lack of awareness of environmental
issues and legislation has also contributed immensely to
environmental problems in the country.

15

Threats to Ghana’s Environment

Mining Activities


16


Mining Activities
destroying land in Ghana

17


Lumber Industries
destroying land in Ghana

18


Poor Water and Solid waste management


19


Oil leak
The cyanide spillage caused by Goldfields
Ghana Limited (GGL) in 2001


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Efforts to control

Many institutions for regulating the environment
were established after 1990 including,
Environmental Protection Agency, Water
Resources Commission, Forestry Commission and
Energy Commission. Nongovernmental
organization activity has also increased, with the
implementation of many programmes.


21

COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT

Ghana has a long history of attempting to
safeguard the environment from being abused by
enacting and including environmental protection
in appropriate legislation
The best result from all of these attempts is the
establishment of an organisation solely
responsible for the environment – the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deriving
its administrative procedures through a legislative
instrument LI 1652, an Act of Parliament of
Ghana

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COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT
• Guidelines for new developments
• Compliance through partnerships with State agencies. For
instance The Energy Commission is the state institution
responsible for ensuring that investment in the energy
sector is properly controlled. The Commission is therefore
responsible for licensing all investors in the energy sector
and for regulation
• Thus investment in the energy sector means compliance
with LI 1652 and its parent Act. of their activities
thereafter.


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CONCLUSION
Just as any other country, the future of Ghana’s
environment is thus not gloomy
• Government will have to make the environment one of the
national priority areas
• Constantly reviewing existing environmental laws and
enacting new legislation to reflect current and global trends
• Training and technical support from the international
communities for regulating the environment.

To ensure adequate allocation of resources for
capacity building and utilisation in environmental
management.

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GREPA on Environment
One important Area that has been overlooked in
Ghana when it comes to environmental concerns is
within the Housing industries.
Ghana has problems with water ingress and this is
causing damage to properties and poses a health
threat to Residents.
Properties with water ingress result in mold which is
very dangerous.
As this area has not been addressed, the Ghana Real
Estate Professionals Association GREPA will take
the opportunity to address the issue


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GREPA on Environment
Through the following steps
• Research into the Problem
• Mold, Radon Asbestos Awareness programs
• Mold mitigation and irradiation programs
• Technical advice to builders to prevent water
ingress from foundation
• Public awareness
• Advice for policy makers to include testing on all
properties.


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International Support

PLEASE SUPPORT
GREPA ACHIEVE THIS
GOAL


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Contacts

Ghana Real Estate Professionals Association – GREPA
The ABRI Foundation
US: +1630.923.3223 Fax: +1866.886.8432
GHANA: +233.26.957.4186 Fax: +233.302‐52‐1805
Email: info@abriproperties.com
info@repagh.org


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FIABCI GREPA GHANA ENVIRONMENTAL PRESENTATION

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